MOTORS AND MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 15, 12 October 1917, Page 9

MOTORS AND MOTORING

(By "Olutch.")

Keeping Accounts, Considering tho slight (rouble which it entails, tho keeping of an. accurate record of all expenses chargeablo to the ownership and operation of a. motor-car is well worth while. Like- all general accounting, an American writer observes, it lends in a general way toward economy, in that it enables tho total expenditure' for any required period of time tuba calculated and compared with that of any other similar . period. It also enables an owner to detormine in what respects his practice is less economical than it should "be, for instance, whether his tyre, repair, or fuel bill is inordinately larger during one pcv'od than another, or out of proportion to that of some other owner who also keep* an account. Moreover, it porniits an owner who changes from one car to onother to determine which is tho cheaper to operate. A few pages reserved in .tho memorandum book that nearly every man carries in his pocket suffices for the entry of all 'cash expenditures, with date, nature of tho outlay, and amount. All other expenditure can later bo copied from the bills and added to the account. On tho first of the month, or, more often, at regular intervals, the odometer should bo read and entered on the account. At the end of each mouth the items of expense can be separated and charged to appropriate accounts, such as fuel, lubricants, tyres, repairs, garaging, fixed charges, insurance, registration, and such others ae the chnracter of the ecrrice requires, and tho total outlay for eacli during tho month may be made a matter of record. At the end of the year the owner will be ablo to tell exactly what liis outlay hae been for each item of maintenance, and by dividing the total amount for all purposes by the number of miles run he may obtain tho per cost of operation. Of course, iii order to obtain an accurate record of expenditure it is-ab-solutely essential that no items bo forgotten, but if an owner hae ft genuine interest in cost keeping he will soon form tho habit of chalking down every amount paid out, no matter how trivial it may eeem to be when he is paying. Demand for a Simple Motor, Tear by year (Bays the "Scientific American"), the mechanism of an automobile has become more complicated, until the car of to-day, is a most wonderful and intricate aggregation of ingenious mechanisms. A plausible reason for the presence of each of these mechanisms can probably be given, although in many cases the real reason ifi to furnish the sales department with "talking points"; nevertheless they undoubtedly as a whole contribute to the convenience and efficiency of the car, and are satisfactory to owners who employ an expert driver and keep a competent garage man to assist in cleaning and repairs. Tho great majority of the car-owning public, however, does not belong to this 'class, but are men of moderate means who drive, and care for their own cars'; they aru not mechanics, and have neither tho time nor the ability to keep a. compli;cated car in good order, and in building a car for such users the important point, to bo kept, constantly in mind is simplicity and a method of construction that will requiro 'a minimum of attention. A car medium priced, built to siiph specifications, should be popular for its convenience and reliability; and iK'OiioNiy of upkeep would more than offsot, the absence- of a. host of faddish auxiliary attachments and refinements. .' Roughing Pedals. . After the car has been used for a. considerable length of time it is likely that I'ho surfaces of; Hie pedals will have bcc'oino wornquilo smooth. Th&i , ' use may; , under such condition, involve a certain .amount of risk, in that, skmld smitten pressure b(! applied, tho foot may slip off sideways. This condition can bo easily remedied by removing tho pedals from tho car and Toughing the surface* by a series of piuieli-iiiarks. Tho pedal is .clamped-in a vice, •ind. after ■covering the suiiaco with chalk a- number of diagonal lines are drawn, and at each intersection of tho. lines » iniiiclVmarlc is made with a diamond-nosed chisel and hammer. Here and There. Keep .your'cyo on Die iiwil. Many operators arc- continually looking, dewn at their feet, at; the accelerator'pedals, etc., while operating. This lakes.their attention, away from (he road, which is dangerous. Willi ;i. little practice .you can eoon locate all tho necessavy pnt-als, etc., without looking for them. This is tho only safe way to drive. - Spasmodic spurts of. speed arc c'.angerous. Hold the- epcctl of your car tilcudy around twenty miles an hour and you will get thcro moro quickly, t-'nfel.v, pleasantly, and at less expense. In case of accidents, gel tin: name of every witness and immediately draw iv diagram of the position of the ::,n with reference-to all surrounding, objeafe, as well as kerb • lines. This information might save ' you .-lunoyance, lime, and money later on. lion- many motorists are thoro who ever remove their rims from the wheels until forced to do so. by reason of tvrn trouble? Very few, is tho answer. If. they did lake the rims all , after having run llio ciir'for a- short lime and used a littlo graphite in between the wheel and the demountable rim, they would find lyre-cliaiising easier later on. As it is. the rims arc sometimes so '.'listed arid plastered on. that Ih'py tako an is:: eonscionablo lini'o lo remove when tho need iinallv dues come. .

Avoid ru'ts.und holes .in tho strcot. It will save tj'res; Don't bump the. kerb; stop your ear within severtil inches' of it. You will thus avoid fabric breaks.

Mako sure your breathing tube screen is not clogged.. Hold .your hand o\ei- it while the engiim' is running iiiid sep if air is puffed out. If not, invnsl urate and dean out the obstruction. If allowed to remain it will put a. liariuful back-jires-siiro on tlio pistons which will cut down tho power of the ongiiio.' | Light-inj-iip. time: .To-day, (>•" p.m.; next Friday, , .G. 15 li.in.